Director of Sales & Account

Lithos Energy is an exciting, rapidly growing lithium energy storage solutions provider based in the San Francisco Bay area. Lithos designs and produces advanced high-performance lithium-ion battery packs for transportation, defense, power sports and stationary markets, offering both standard solutions as well as fully custom solutions. Lithos Energy’s growing customer base ranges from start-ups to tier-1 transportation and defense contractors to OEMs. Lithos Energy is a team of passionate self-starters working together to accelerate and expand the market for electrified powertrain battery solutions.

Lithos Energy is searching for a strong analytical thinker with excellent business acumen, who is interested in developing and leading the organization’s key customer relationships. This role requires a clear and concise communicator who can synthesize complex data into actionable insights and who enjoys interacting with customers, engineers, and business professionals at all levels.

Lithos Energy’s headquarters is located in San Rafael, CA. Working on-site in San Rafael is preferable, but this position has the option to be located remotely, with regular visits to the headquarters.

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

• This role integrates two primary functions:

  • Sales Management – Provide direct contact for new and existing customers, manage opportunities through the sales funnel to win incremental business, and serve as the voice of the customer internally

  • Account Management – Responsible for communicating, coordinating, and maintaining existing customers and programs.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Sales Management Activities

• Organize and manage the entire sales process beginning with customer inquiries and qualification, followed by customer’s needs and subsequent preparation of quotes, pricing calculations, commercial negotiations, conclusion of the sale and after sales care

• Work with Engineering, Finance, Project Management, and Manufacturing to develop technical proposals based on customer requirements

• Prepare and deliver technical customer presentations and proposals to customers.

• Develop quotation packages, including developing cost and pricing models, NRE and timing estimates

• Present technical proposals to customers

• Track progress toward sales objectives through CRM platform; ensuring that data provides meaningful short and long-range customer/product sales forecasts

• Maintain direct contact with customers as key liaison for all company activities

• Ability to review existing business processes and identify and implement continuous improvements

• Supporting marketing activities by organizing and attending trade shows, conferences, and other marketing events

• Manage customer and sales forecast

Account Management Activities

• Act as primary point of contact with Lithos Energy’s strategic customers and prospects.

• Provide technical advice to customers and development of solutions in cooperation with the Development Department

• Create and manage to project timelines to meet customer and internal milestones, while ensuring all stakeholders are aligned and program objectives achieved

• Quantify project risks through financial modeling, implement KPIs to track program, and develop risk mitigation strategies to ensure program success

• Articulate a clear understanding of Lithos Energy’s competitive position, and profitability at each assigned key account

• Communicate program status, risks, and requests for support as needed to achieve successful product launches

• Coordinate with Engineering and Manufacturing all prototype builds and deliveries to achieve committed timing

EDUCATION and QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree with strong preference for BSEE or BSME. MBA or graduate engineering degree is a strong plus.

• Requires 5 years in a professional technical sales field. Experience in defense and/or transportation product development and launch is preferred.

• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed

• Basic understanding of electrical, mechanical, and automotive engineering as well as basic knowledge of electrical and hybrid drive engineering preferred

• Demonstrated team leadership experience required. Must have experience with cross functional teams and direct customer interactions.

• Strong project management skills in resource, task, and budget planning are required.

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project) with willingness to learn CRM and ERP systems required.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.